The influence of sward-age and management on the type of timothy and cocksfoot

Abstract

Cocksfoot and timothy were collected from a number of Dutch grasslands. The populations obtained in this way were investigated to see whether there might be a correlation between age and management of the fields, and heading time and growthhabit type of the plants in them. It appeared that old grasslands contain a type of timothy quite different from that of young grasslands, the plants of which closely resembled the hay types from commercial strains. Such extreme hay types were not encountered in old grasslands. One old meadow developed intermediate types which collectively might be considered to represent an indigenous hay form. The difference between old and young grasslands was less clear in the case of cocksfoot; the populations from young pastures had rather more plants with slightly more erect growth-habit. An evident influence of management on the plant type, as was found in perennial ryegrass from Dutch grasslands by Jonker (8), could not be established in the case of cocksfoot and timothy. Choke (Epichloe typhina) appears to be a fairly extensively distributed disease in timothy, especially along the borders of the large rivers of the Netherlands. According to Mr. A. R. of the Welsh Plant Breeding Station, Aberystwyth, Wales, Who also kindly examined the text of this article, in Great Britain, is chiefly found in cocksfoot .